INQUIRER Sports

THE LAOS SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES have yet to start and already, the Philippines has lost gold medal prospects in taekwondo.

SEA Games organizers in Vientiane have reduced the number of events in taekwondo from 21 to 13 which, Filipino coaches claimed, could affect the country’s victory projection in the biennial event.

Instead of eight events each in men’s and women’s combat, and six events in poomsae, organizers decided to make it just five events apiece in combat and three in poomsae.

“Maybe it’s because they (Laotian jins) don’t have much chance in the sport,” national head coach Rocky Samson said.

The Philippine Taekwondo Association has earlier submitted 21 names for the SEA Games, including Olympians Tshomlee Go and Mary Antoinette Rivero, and veterans Alexander Briones, John Paul Lizardo, and sisters Kirstie Elaine and Kathleen Eunice Alora.

But with the development, Samson said they will be have to cut the number of entries as well, with the coaching staff putting premium on heavier weight classes and on experience.

“We are inclined to field (bets) in heavier categories because there are fewer entries there,” said Samson. “Though we want to give young jins much needed exposure, on this occasion, we will go for veterans to maximize our chances.”

In poomsae, which is mostly forms, Samson said they will pick players who can compete in all three categories.

The country’s bets are hoping to fine-tune their skills in the First Asian Martial Arts Games in Thailand next month, aside from undergoing training in Korea from Aug. 9 to 29 where they are also competing in the Korea Open championships.

Taekwondo has been one of the country’s strongest point in the SEAG, winning six golds in the 2005 edition held here. But the Philippines went home with just one gold in the 2007 Thailand SEAG courtesy of Go.